All is calm; all is bright

After stress and worry, hurry and scurry, I am enjoying this silent, Sabbath night.

Last night we got the tree decorated, thanks to a 12' ladder and a 6'5" man.

One of the new things on the tree this year at Brian's insistence is a silvery blue ribbon that I've had for at least 11 years but never before used.

Rick says it looks like we TP'd the tree

Another is the newest Danbury Mint bulldog ornament, a gift from a dear friend:

As you can see in the first photo, the top of our tree this year is a little, um, different. Rick and I were planning to prune it to look more spire-like, but I got used to its odd configuration while Rick was gone, so we left it – and added a second tree topper!

Today my friend Amy, bless her heart, came over and helped me clean this place like it has never been cleaned. (She used a toothbrush, for heaven's sake!) I'm still in awe that she did this; I don't know how I could have been ready for the party tomorrow night without her help. Come on in and see how good it looks!

At the front door

Living room to the left

Kitchen to the right

Dining room table

Enjoying the fruits of our labors at . . .

If I had a calendar...

...this would be December's pin-up boy!

That's it for today from . . .

Comic – and other – relief!

First of all, it's a bright, sunny day. I don't mind our winters, but days like this really are jewels of joy in settings of silver (read grey).

This girl, Gilda, makes me grin. She always fluffs herself out like a broody hen when she lays, and makes the oddest sound when I get close.

My sheep make me smile, too. These two fancy themselves in love – never mind that he's a middle-aged wether and she's my suspected freemartin.

Then there's "boys just wanna have fun" Bittersweet, playing with the rope swing.

Speaking of sheep and comic relief, an email was awaiting me when I got back to the house after chores. Blogpal Sue wrote, "I feel your pain about the 40-guest party! Here's what you do to cut down on the number of guests and how long they stay. Get several of your sheep, preferably wet and uncoated. Tether them at strategic spots around your living room, especially by the food. Tell folks that you are doing this to share the true feeling of Christmas, which, after all, was in a stable. This will separate the sheep from the goats! Ah, I mean the sheep from the guests! Good luck!
Sue, whose husband knows better!" 

Thanks, Sue; I needed that laugh! But as much as I love my sheep, having their mess in my house is probably not an improvement over what 40 people can do. :-) All of which has to be cleaned up before my dad and his wife arrive for a visit the following week, followed by a 10-day visit by Rick's mom. So you see, it's not just the Saturday night party I'm dealing with here.

But, I will get by – with a little help from a friend! I called a long-time friend this morning for help with a computer question, and she asked how I am managing all that's on my plate. As I was listing all that I hope to accomplish before Friday at sundown, she asked if she could help me with anything on that list if she came over on Friday. Seriously?!? It was like a bright shaft of sunshine burst through the wall of my office and angels started singing! And you know what? Even if my fun friend Amy can't make it, her sweet and generous offer has lifted a load off my heart and shoulders, allowing me to face the next few days with a smile.

That's it for now from . . .

A farmgirl's Calgon moment

No time here for a soak in the tub, so last night I took a few moments for the next best thing – sheep snoggles.

Just in from the rain, they were soggy and hungry – some more for attention than hay. :-)

This morning when I opened the henhouse for the day, six eggs awaited me. I can't remember the last time I got six eggs in one day – much less waiting for me at morning chore time! Obviously, the covered (and therefore darker) run isn't negatively impacting them.

In spite of the clumsy web of boards supporting the tarp, rain still collects and has to be dumped once or twice a day. But the run still stays dry enough that the hens have a place to scratch and dust themselves – a wintertime first here.

Speaking of hens, we've lost another one. Friday I thought Peaches was thinking about laying her first egg under the nest boxes where one of the Buff girls nests – but she hung out there an awfully long time. Still, her head was up and she otherwise looked bright and alert. By Sunday morning she was gone. So now we have four speckled, three golden, two brown and one white – ten hens total.

All this outside focus is really intentional distraction from what is looming dead ahead. Saturday night we are hosting a Christmas party for a crowd of approximately 40 people – thanks to Rick volunteering our home. This is a first for us, and waaaaay out of my comfort zone. To his credit, Rick did a lot of outside clean-up, put up Christmas lights, and cut a tree Friday – before leaving town. Unfortunately, in spite of my request for a smaller tree this year, he and Brian chose a 14' Noble that Brian and I cannot decorate on our own. Rick gets back late Wednesday night; hopefully he'll have time to help us decorate it Thursday night. Meanwhile, I'm responsible for all the inside cleaning, decluttering and cooking which must be finished before Friday evening. Oh, and Brian's birthday is Thursday, so I also have that to prepare for. (That is why there is a Happy Birthday banner on the naked tree for now.)

I'm hoping to have time to actually enjoy this Christmas season starting Sunday. :-/

That's it for now from . . .